1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a test apparatus and a test method.
2. Related Art
A test apparatus for testing a device under test is provided with a plurality of test modules. Each test module is connected to a terminal of the device under test to test the device under test. Each test module is controlled by a test control section having a control circuit such as a microprocessor.
The test control section controls the test modules by sending to each test module control packets including control instructions. For example, the test control section may send to each test module a control packet that includes a read command for reading data from a register of the device under test and a control packet that includes a write command for writing data to a register of the device under test.
When the test apparatus is provided with a plurality of different types of test modules, however, the test control section cannot control all of the test modules using a single type of control packet. For example, when the test apparatus includes a test module that can only receive a control packet having a first packet structure and also a test module that can only receive a control packet having a second packet structure, different types of control packets must be sent to these test modules. As a result, the hardware circuitry of the test control section is increased or the size of the program that causes the microprocessor to operate increases. Here, “packet structure” refers to the form of a control packet determined according to the type of information stored in the control packet and the order in which the information is stored.